Helen’s top ten tips
Have you found yourself taking endless pictures since you became a parent? Do you find your photos sometimes don’t do justice to your bundle of joy? Capturing those precious early memories can be tricky when you’re also trying to get your head around feeding, nappies, teething and tantrums, but you’ll be pleased to hear that help is at hand in Helen Webb’s beautifully presented book “Shoot the Baby”.
The book is written for parents, not professionals, and includes advice on everything from props to lighting and how to ensure your baby smiles. “Shoot the Baby” is easy to read and can be used with any type of camera – from mobile phone to SLR.
Here are just a few of Helen’s top tips to ensure your pictures – and baby – stand out from the crowd:
- De-clutter your shots. A camera won’t filter out irrelevant detail as your brain does. Watch out especially for washing, dirty plates or anything behind your baby’s head. Move yourself, the baby or the mess until your shot is clutter-free.
- Take a step closer – Or crop the shot later. Remember, there’s no pavement in the Mona Lisa. As a simple rule, try to fill two thirds of the shot with your subject.
- Personality shots – All babies smile and all smiling babies are gorgeous. But don’t forget to capture the serious, sad, cross and tired looks – to help you remember all those quirky little mannerisms.
- Consider the light – The light in a photo is as important as the subject. Look for the direction and quality of your light source and use natural light (not flash) whenever possible.
- Bin most of your pictures – To improve your photography instantly, simply delete the bad ones! No professional will show you everything they took.
Leave us your top photography tip on Facebook for your chance to receive a copy of the book to review.
For more advice, as well as cute composition ideas to try yourself, see “Shoot the Baby”, by Helen Webb, available from Amazon or to order from your local bookshop at £12.99.
Here are some of the lovely reviews we received about this book:
I LOVE THE BOOK!!! I absolutely love taking pictures of Luca (now 15 months old!), I am definitely one of those annoying people on facebook that is constantly taking and posting photos because I am convinced that my child is the most gorgeous, amazing human being alive! I have always wished I was better at it though. ‘Shoot the Baby’ gives some really good tips that anyone can do. The book isn’t too detailed, it gives just the right amount of information that anyone can understand. The pictures in the book gave me some brilliant ideas of how I can get some good pictures of Luca and I am looking forward to trying them out. I liked that most of the pictures in the book are not taken by professionals, but at the same time that Helen is honest, saying you can’t expect perfect pictures without the professional equipment. This will be the gift I now buy friends expecting or with babies because I know that any mum would love this!
Thank you so much for picking me to win this book, I can’t wait to try out all your tips and recreate some of the pictures in the book. – Jenny
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As both a photographer of babies and also a mother, I wondered how hard it would be to review this book, as well as have the time to read it! But I shouldn’t have! Because from the minute I picked up the book and just flicked through I thought ‘this is great!’ the layout of the book is brilliant, simple and easily pick up and put down-able…perfect for parents with a baby!
The first chapter has a brilliant set of simple tips that will improve anyone’s pictures without even having finished the book!(again, amazing for when time to read is a luxury) as even by only reading this part alone you’re bound to think more about your snaps.
The book is full of beautiful pictures which serve both as examples to the text, and also as inspiration for readers pictures.
The chapters the book clearly explain the parts that make up a great photo, lighting, composition, choosing camera settings and technique tips. On top of this it within the technical information gives great ideas on things specific to shooting babies, and even groups of babies, that technical books just wouldn’t give. The spot the difference photos are a brilliant way to compare how a photo looks with or without flash/different angles which can make a big difference to how pictures are taken- sometimes its hard to visualize these things. It even gives you tips for when to get professional pictures done!
I particularly loved the ideas for photos near the end of the book. A lot of these things that as a parent, its so easy to overlook as you see these things every day, when in the grand scheme babyhood flies by so fast, you miss it all when its gone. It even mentions the birth, the midwife,even the birth pool/surroundings stating that its those which trigger the memories (and this is so true! I wish I’d taken more surrounding shots!)
Overall I thought this book is a really great thing for any parent to have. Its clear, easy to read information could turn any snapshot into frame worthy photography! It would be a wonderful new baby gift (or older baby gift!) or a perfect pregnancy gift! – Suzi
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I have just finished reading my copy of “shoot the baby” after receiving it this morning! A lovely book and very easy to read and follow.
The book contains some lovely photographs taken mainly by amateur photographers – which is nice as it gives inspiration and ideas of some of the shots that can be achieved by following some of the simple steps outlined in the book.
As i said the book is very easy to follow, the information and advice is broken down in to manageable paragraphs with each chapter focusing on a different aspect of photography e.g lighting, with plenty of example photographs.
A lot of the information in the book is to help if you were trying to “set up” a shot, but then a lot of the advice can be used for that “unexpected” shot too.
I like the fact that the book seems “down to earth and friendly” and Helen doesn’t advise that you need to rush out and buy the latest top of the range camera to achieve the perfect shot, but that your normal digital or even camera phone can work just as well – it’s just how you use it that counts!
Towards the end of the book there is a section called “Spot the difference” which shows the same image in two different settings, e.g 1 with the flash and 1 with out, i found this section very help full and will be more aware of certain things when i have my next “snapping spree”.
Helen also makes some suggestions on how you can use your pictures – ” once a year, put the top twenty shots of your baby into a separate folder, or choose one from each month and make a calender” – I totally agree with this idea as it is something i have already done. Taking a picture from each corresponding month and creating a calender for next year for my sons Gran (My mum) (using an online company) When i got the calender back it was amazing and made a lovely gift, that can be kept for the pictures when the year is out.
Overall i would give this book 5/5 – Presentable and attractive. Easy to read – with jargon buster. Informative. Practical ideas for future use.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to review this wonderful book (ill be passing it onto my dad – Grandad is snap happy too!)- Jayne
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